Information processing apparatus, method and storage medium

ABSTRACT

A printer monitoring apparatus includes a setting unit configured to set a display mode of a warning or an error related to a peripheral device, a determination unit configured to determine whether the warning or the error has previously occurred, a display unit configured to display the warning or the error in a case where the warning or the error has previously occurred, and a processing unit configured to continue a process or cancel a process according to the warning or the error based on whether the warning or the error has previously occurred.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a printer monitoring apparatus thatmonitors a printer, more specifically an abnormal status of a printer.

2. Description of the Related Art

Conventionally, there is a computer system where a computer monitorsstatus of a printer to recognize abnormalities such as empty ink orout-of-paper conditions. Such a computer includes and executes a monitorprogram for monitoring the printer abnormality. The monitor program isstored in a memory and acquires the latest status of the printer at apredetermined interval of time. It then displays any abnormal status,such as an error occurring in the printer. In addition to the abnormalstatus of the printer, the monitor program can also display a warningabout various print settings when printing is to be performed or displaya warning about a printer setting status.

Moreover, there are cases where an operator wishes to avoid anunnecessary printer status to be displayed, or a printer status beingredundantly displayed with the one on an application window. In suchcases, as discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.2000-293344, there is a method for allowing an operator to select astatus or warning to be notified by a status monitor program. This canin turn prevent unnecessary notification.

However, according to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.2000-293344, when an operator sets an abnormal status of a device or awarning to a non-display mode, the printer may stop without printing aprint job or without giving any explanation on the cause. As a result,the printer may be stopped in an error status even if another userwishes to print. Further, if a user tries to print from a personalcomputer (PC) in which a warning is issued, the user cannot proceed withprinting because the previous job is stopped without being printed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to an aspect of the present invention, a printer monitoringapparatus includes a setting unit configured to set a display mode of awarning or an error related to a peripheral device, a determination unitconfigured to determine whether the warning or the error has previouslyoccurred, a display unit configured to display the warning or the errorin a case where the warning or the error has previously occurred, and aprocessing unit configured to continue a process or cancel a processaccording to the warning or the error based on whether the warning orthe error has previously occurred.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a printermonitoring apparatus includes a setting unit configured to set a displaymode of a peripheral device when a warning or an error occurs, and aprocessing unit configured to continue a process or cancel a processaccording to the display mode.

Further features and aspects of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following detailed description of exemplaryembodiments with reference to the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute apart of the specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments, features,and aspects of the invention and, together with the description, serveto explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is an example of a configuration of a printer connected to a PCaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration ofa printer monitoring apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates a printer driver module and a process flow performedby the printer driver according to an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a process performed by a statusmonitor according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a process performed by a statusmonitor according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example of a status monitor user interface (UI)according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of a status monitor UI according to anexemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an example of a file configuration for a status monitordisplay setting according to an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 9 is an example of a status monitor UI according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 illustrates an example of a display setting list of a statusmonitor according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 illustrates an example of a job handling list in a case where anon-display mode is set to a status monitor according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 illustrates an example of a display setting list of a statusmonitor according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 illustrates an example of a display setting list of a statusmonitor according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating a process performed by a statusmonitor according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Various exemplary embodiments, features, and aspects of the inventionwill be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

First Exemplary Embodiment

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of an inkjet printer connected to a PCaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The PCcan be directly connected to the inkjet printer via an interface (I/F)such as a universal serial bus (USB), or via a server PC on a network towhich the inkjet printer is connected. Further, the inkjet printer canbe directly connected to a network and be accessed from a PC on thenetwork.

FIG. 2 illustrates a configuration of a host computer which is anexample of an printer monitoring apparatus that creates print data to besent to the above-described inkjet printer and displays an abnormalstatus of the printer and a warning.

A host computer 100 is connected to a printer 105, such as theabove-described inkjet printer, and a monitor 106. The printer 105 isnot limited to an inkjet printer and can be any printer, e.g., a laserbeam printer.

The host computer 100 includes application software 101 such as a wordprocessor, a spread sheet, or an Internet browser. The applicationsoftware 101 issues a group of various rendering commands in which eachrendering command indicates an output image (i.e., image renderingcommand, text rendering command, and graphics rendering command). Thevarious rendering command group is input into a monitor driver 104 viaan operating system (OS) 102. In a case where printing is to beperformed, such a rendering command group is also input into a printerdriver 103 via the OS 102. The printer driver 103 and the monitor driver104 are software that process such a rendering command group and createsprint data to be printed by the printer 105 or displayed by the monitor106.

In the host computer 100, the above-described software is stored in ahard disk (HD) 107 or a read-only memory (ROM) 110, which is read out bya random access memory (RAM) 109, and executed by a central processingunit (CPU) 108. In the present embodiment, a PC is used as the hostcomputer 100 and Microsoft® Windows as the OS 102 which are illustratedin FIG. 2. Further, an arbitrary application software which includes aprinting function is installed in the above-described PC that isconnected to the monitor 106 and the printer 105.

Further, in the host computer 100, the application software 101 createsoutput image data using text data classified as text, e.g. characters,graphics data classified as graphics e.g. figures, and image dataclassified as images, e.g. photographic images.

In a case where an image based on the output image data is to beprinted, the application software 101 issues a print output request tothe OS 102. That is, the application software 101 issues to the OS 102 arendering command group which includes a text rendering command forrendering a text data portion, a graphics rendering command forrendering a graphics data portion, and an image rendering command forrendering an image data portion.

Upon receiving a print output request from the application software 101,the OS 102 sends the rendering command group to the printer driver 103.The printer driver 103 responds to the print output request and therendering command group received from the OS 102, and creates print datathat can be printed by the printer 105. The printer driver 103 thensends the created print data to the printer 105. The host computer 100and the printer 105 are connected by an interface such as USB thatrealizes bi-directional communication. A color matching module 111performs color matching between the monitor 106 and the printer 105.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of software(mainly a printer driver) in a print system according to an embodimentof the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, an application 201 creates a document and inquiresa user interface driver 203 about the functions of the printer system inorder to print the document. The application 201 then notifies the printsystem including a graphical device interface (GDI) 202 of print start.Upon receiving the notification of print start from the application 201,the GDI 202 notifies the user interface driver 203 of a print event,i.e., a print start by the application 201. The application 201 thensupplies print data of the document to be printed to the GDI 202 andcontinues the printing process.

The print data is stored in a spool file 204 via the GDI 202. A printprocessor 205 reads out the print data from the spool file 204, and theprint data is then sent to a language monitor 207 via a graphics driver206.

The language monitor 207 sends the print data to a printer 208 whilebi-directionally communicating with the printer 208. The languagemonitor 207 receives information about the status of the printer 208 asnecessary and informs the status monitor 209 of the present status ofthe printer 208 or printing, based on information received from theprinter 208 or on print data to be sent.

The status monitor 209 displays the statuses received from the languagemonitor 207 on the monitor 106. Additionally, in a case where printingis interrupted for some reason, the status monitor 209 displays optionsfor dealing with the interruption to a user. The status monitor 209 thenreceives a response from the user about dealing with the interruptionand sends the response to the language monitor 207.

The above-described software is stored in the HD 107 or the ROM 110,read out by the RAM 109, and executed by the CPU 108.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are flowcharts illustrating processes performed by thestatus monitor 209 in the host computer 100 according to the presentembodiment of the present invention.

The status monitor 209 displays UIs such as those illustrated in FIGS. 6and 7. FIG. 7 illustrates a main window that is normally activatedsurely. The main window includes a display portion that displays aremaining amount of ink in an inkjet printer, a display portion thatbriefly displays a printer status, and information about the job beingprinted. FIG. 6 illustrates an error dialog which individually displaysan error in a printer or a warning about a print setting in detail. Forexample, in a case where an error such as a paper out occurs duringprinting, the language monitor 207 illustrated in FIG. 3 acquires aprinter status and notifies the status monitor 209 of the information.The status monitor 209 then displays an error dialog when the error hasoccurred. The error dialog gives a detailed guidance on content of theerror and how to clear the error.

Further, when printing is started, the print data is transferred to theprinter 208 via the language monitor 207. If the language monitor 207searches content of the print data, or is in a state of issuing awarning based on print setting information and printer settinginformation when printing is started, the language monitor 207temporarily stops print data transfer to the printer 208 and displays awarning dialog.

As illustrated in an example of a status monitor UI in FIG. 9, there isa simple UI in the status monitor 209 which allows a user to selectnotifying or not notifying a dialog depending on a type of status. Whena user selects a “display menu” on the status monitor 209 illustrated inFIG. 9, “cover open” and “envelope printing guide” menus are displayed.In the example illustrated in FIG. 9, there is a * mark on “cover open”.The * mark indicates that the status dialog of “cover open” will bedisplayed and notified, but a guide dialog of “envelop printing guide”will not be notified to the user.

A process performed by the status monitor 209 when printing is startedwill be described below with reference to the flowchart illustrated inFIG. 4.

Generally, the status monitor 209 is activated when printing is started.In step 401, the status monitor 209 determines whether there is a filefor status monitor display setting. At this point, the status monitor209 does not display a main window or an error dialog. In a case wherethere is no file for status monitor display setting (NO in step 401),the process proceeds to step 406. In step 406, the status monitor 209displays a status monitor screen on the monitor 106 normally, anddisplays statuses of various printers.

The file for status monitor display setting can be a file that isstructured as illustrated in FIG. 8. The file for status monitor displaysetting sets information that indicates whether a display setting isvalid or invalid, and information that describes a level indicatingwhether a dialog about various statuses is set to a display mode or anon-display mode.

In the present embodiment, the file for status monitor display settingis previously set by a system administrator using a program for making adisplay setting to the status monitor 209. Thus, the file for statusmonitor display setting is separately managed from a display settingthat can be set on the UI in the status monitor 209 illustrated in FIG.9.

A method of creating the file for status monitor display settingillustrated in FIG. 8 will be described below. The present embodimentprovides a setting list as illustrated in FIG. 10, so that a setting canbe easily made by a system administrator who is not familiar withvarious types of errors and warnings that are displayed by the statusmonitor 209. The setting list illustrated in FIG. 10 provides settingvalues in a form of bit flags as to types of windows or error dialogsthat are to be displayed by the status monitor 209. The systemadministrator then makes a setting using a program of an applicationprogramming interface (API) for creating the setting file illustrated inFIG. 8. For example, in a case where the system administrator desires todisplay only ink out error and a warning that printing cannot becontinued, the setting values that correspond to such error and warningare combined as “0x00100010”. The acquired combined setting value isthen set to a parameter of the setting file creation API and executed.

Returning to the flowchart illustrated in FIG. 4, in step 402, thestatus monitor 209 determines whether the display setting that is set inthe file for status monitor display setting illustrated in FIG. 8 is“valid”. In a case where the display setting is set as “invalid” (NO instep 402), the process proceeds to step 406 in which the status monitor209 displays normally. On the other hand, if the display setting of thefile for status monitor display setting is set as “valid” (YES in step402), the process proceeds to step 403. In step 403, the status monitor209 causes the display setting menus of the various dialog displaysetting UIs in the status monitor 209 to be unselectable.

The UI illustrated in FIG. 9 can be set by a user of the status monitor209. On the other hand, the file for status monitor display settingillustrated in FIG. 8 can be set by a system administrator using adisplay setting program. The setting file illustrated in FIG. 8 thus canbe set by a system administrator other than a user of the status monitor209. The setting file illustrated in FIG. 8 is stored in the RAM 109 andthe HD 107.

Therefore, if a system administrator sets the file for status monitordisplay setting, the UI illustrated in FIG. 9 which a user can operatebecomes non-operable, so that there is no inconsistency in the operationof the status monitor 209.

In step 404, the status monitor 209 determines whether the main windowillustrated in FIG. 7 which is always displayed when the status monitor209 is activated, is set to a non-display mode. The status monitor 209makes the determination based on the level of the status monitor displaysetting in the setting file illustrated in FIG. 8. If the main window ofthe status monitor 209 is set to a display mode (NO in step 404), theprocess proceeds to step 406, and the status monitor 209 is activated ina display mode. On the other hand, if the main window is set toanon-display mode (YES in step 404), the process proceeds to step 405,and the status monitor 209 is activated in a non-displaying mode.

After performing the above-described process, the status monitor 209monitors changes in the printer status.

In step 407, the status monitor 209 determines whether it is necessaryto display a message that an error has occurred in the printer 208, orto display a warning based on a driver setting when printing is started.Normally, the status monitor 209 displays error information or contentof a warning if an error has occurred in the printer 208, or if it isnecessary to issue a warning when printing is started. However, in thepresent embodiment, the status monitor 209 confirms the content of thefile for status monitor display setting in step 408.

In step 409, the status monitor 209 then determines whether the type oferror or warning that is a display target is set to be displayed. In acase where the target error or warning is set to a non-display mode (NOin step 409), the process proceeds to step 411, and the status monitor209 proceeds to perform the process without displaying the error or thewarning. On the other hand, if the target error or warning is set to adisplay mode (YES in step 409), the process proceeds to step 410, andthe status monitor 209 displays an error dialog or a warning dialognormally.

Note that the above description describes activation and displayprocessing of various dialogs performed by the status monitor 209 when adisplay setting of the status monitor 209 is instructed.

A process performed by the status monitor 209 in a case where a targeterror dialog is set to a non-display mode in step 411 in the flowchartof FIG. 4 will be described below with reference to a flowchartillustrated in FIG. 5.

In step 501, when the status monitor 209 is activated, the statusmonitor 209 initializes an information value to be used in adetermination process in the process flow illustrated in FIG. 5. Thatis, dwWarning, or a value to which a type of error or warning to bedisplayed by the status monitor 209 is input, is cleared in theinitialization process.

In step 502, the status monitor 209 confirms whether there is a warningdialog or an error in a printer 208 when printing is started. In step503, the status monitor 209 then determines whether it is necessary todisplay the warning or the error dialog. In a case where it is necessaryto display the warning or the error dialog (YES in step 503), theprocess proceeds to step 504.

In step 504, the status monitor 209 determines whether the type ofwarning or error which needs to be displayed is set to a non-displaymode in the file for status monitor display setting illustrated in FIG.8. If the warning or error is set to a non-display mode (YES in step504), the status monitor 209 does not display the warning or the errordialog, and the print job is not completed. The process is stoppedwithout notifying a user why the print job is not completed. Further,even if another user wishes to make prints, the next job cannot bestarted when the job stopped by the error is not completed. Theprocessing of a job in a case where the present job transfer is notcompleted will be described below.

FIG. 11 illustrates statuses in which a non-display mode can be set inthe status monitor 209. The table illustrated in FIG. 11 defines jobhandling processes corresponding to such statuses in a case where a jobtransfer is stopped due to an error or a warning state.

For example, a warning as to an error which is to be determined justbefore printing belongs to a group of warnings having specifications inwhich the print data can be transferred to the printer and continued tobe printed without much problem. Conventionally, when there is such awarning, print data transfer is stopped and a warning dialog isdisplayed. However, according to the present embodiment, the warningdialog is not displayed, so that the print data is transferred to theprinter and printing is continued. Further, conventionally, print datatransfer is stopped in a case where a guide dialog is to be displayed.On the contrary, the guide dialog is not displayed according to thepresent embodiment, so that print data transfer is continued. Further,if a warning (or an error) indicates that it is impossible to continueprinting, the print data transfer is stopped until the error is clearedin a conventional case. However, according to the present embodiment,the error dialog is not displayed, and the print job is cancelled. Suchinstructions are described in the job handling table illustrated in FIG.11.

The job handling table illustrated in FIG. 11 is stored in the HD 107,and a user can edit the job handling table. The job handling processescorresponding to the display contents in the job handling table can bemodified by a system administrator using a job handling processmodification API, so that the job handling table can be freelycustomized.

Returning to the flowchart illustrated in FIG. 5, in step 505, thestatus monitor 209 confirms whether there is a job handling instructioncorresponding to the warning or error in the table illustrated in FIG.11. In step 506, the status monitor 209 determines whether a jobhandling is instructed. In a case where a job handling is instructed(YES in step 506), the status monitor 209 performs a process accordingto the content of the instructed job handling, e.g., continues printingor cancels printing.

In step 507, the status monitor 209 determines whether the instructedjob handling process is to cancel printing. If the job handlinginstruction is to continue printing instead of canceling the printing(NO in step 507), the process proceeds to step 512, and the statusmonitor 209 clears the value dwWarning. On the other hand, if the jobhandling instruction is to cancel printing (YES in step 507), theprocess proceeds to step 508.

In step 508, the status monitor 209 determines whether there is ahistory of displaying the same warning or error in a previous (last)job. The determination is made based on the value dwWarning. If there isa history of displaying the same error or warning in the previousprinting (YES in step 508), the process proceeds to step 510. In step510, the status monitor 209 proceeds to notify the user that printinghas failed due to the same printing error or print setting error,without canceling the job while ignoring a state that the status monitor209 is set to a non-display mode. On the other hand, if there is nohistory of the same error or warning in the previous printing (NO instep 508), the process proceeds to step 509, and the status monitor 209performs a process according to the job handling instruction. In step511, the status monitor 209 updates the value dwWarning to the latesterror or warning history.

Second Exemplary Embodiment

The flowchart illustrated in FIG. 4 of the first exemplary embodimentdescribes setting various errors and warnings in the status monitor 209to a display mode or a non-display mode. In a case where a systemadministrator who makes such a setting is not familiar with thespecifications of the printer and the printer driver, it is desirable toprovide the administrator with an easier way of making a setting.

Consequently, according to a second exemplary embodiment, a managementtable which groups each error and warning into various levels asillustrated in FIG. 12 is provided for use by such a systemadministrator. Moreover, according to a second embodiment, a table asillustrated in FIG. 13 is provided in which errors and warnings arecategorized. By using the above-described tables, a system administratorwho is not familiar with the printer and the printer driverspecifications can easily make settings as to errors and warnings.

Third Exemplary Embodiment

The flowchart illustrated in FIG. 5 in the first exemplary embodimentdescribes an example of a process in which the status monitor 209displays an error or a warning by ignoring the non-display setting ofthe status monitor 209 in a case where the same error or warning displaystatus is repeated. A third exemplary embodiment describes a process ofcustomizing an allowable number of cases where a same error or a warningdisplay state may repeatedly occur. Such a process performed by thestatus monitor 209 is illustrated in a flowchart of FIG. 14.

In step 1401, the status monitor 209 initializes a data (i.e.,dwWarning) which stores an error or warning information that has causedjob canceling. In addition, the status monitor 209 initializes a value(N) which stores a count value acquired by counting the cases where thestatuses are the same.

Steps 1402 to 1408 are similar to steps 502 to 508 described in theflowchart illustrated in FIG. 5, and further description about thesesteps are omitted. In step 1408, if it is determined that the samewarning or error had occurred in the previous job (YES in step 1408),the process proceeds to step 1411 in which the status monitor 209increments the count value N.

In step 1412, the status monitor 209 determines whether the count valueN has become greater than or equal to a predetermined number (i.e.,greater than or equal to an allowable number of failures). For example,if the allowable number of failures is defined as five times, and if ajob is consecutively canceled five times due to the same cause (YES instep 1412), the process proceeds to step 1413. In step 1413, the statusmonitor 209 displays the error or the warning by ignoring thenon-display setting. On the other hand, if the count value is less thanthe allowable number of failures (NO in step 1412), the process proceedsto step 1409, and the status monitor 209 then performs a processaccording to the job handling process.

In step 1414, the status monitor 209 updates the value dwWarning to newwarning information and clears the count value N.

The exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described basedon an example of a status monitor which displays a warning or an errorin a printer. However, the present invention can be applied to a statusmonitor that displays a warning or an error related to a scanner andother peripheral devices.

As described above, according to an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention, a job which cannot be printed due to an abnormal status or awarning that is set to a non-display state can be processed according toa job handling table.

Further, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention,it is determined whether a job handling process is repeatedly performeddue to a same cause. In a case where the same job handling process isrepeatedly performed due to the same cause, a trouble shooting guide canbe displayed even if a non-display setting is made.

Further, in a computer that includes a printer monitoring function,printer abnormality and print setting warning display can be notified toa user according to the user request. Therefore, displaying ofunnecessary notices can be decreased, and excellent usability can beachieved.

Further, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention,a notification which an operator does not need can be set to anon-display mode. As a result, a print job is prevented from stoppingwithout any explanation and start of a next job is not hindered, oranother user is not prevented from making prints.

Therefore, according to an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention, printing is prevented from stopping due to a same error evenin a case where a warning or an error is set to a non-display state.

Further, printing can be appropriately processed even in a case where awarning or an error is set to a non-display state.

Other Exemplary Embodiments

The present invention can also be achieved by providing a storage mediumwhich stores software (program code) for implementing functions of theabove-described exemplary embodiments, to a system or an apparatus. Theprogram code stored in the storage medium can be read and executed by acomputer (central processing unit (CPU) or micro-processing unit (MPU))of the system or the apparatus.

In this case, the software (program code) itself realizes the functionsof the above-described exemplary embodiments. The software (programcode) itself and the storage medium which stores the software (programcode) constitute the present invention.

The storage medium can be, for example, a floppy disk, a hard disk, amagneto-optical disk, a compact disc-read-only memory (CD-ROM), aCD-recordable (CD-R), a CD-rewritable (CD-RW), a digital versatile disc(DVD)-ROM, a DVD-RAM, a DVD-RW, a DVD+RW, a magnetic tape, a nonvolatilememory card, or a ROM. Further, such software (program code) can bedownloaded via a network.

Furthermore, the above-described exemplary embodiments can be not onlyrealized by executing software (program code) read by a CPU. Anoperating system (OS) or the like working on a computer can also performa part or the whole of processes according to instructions of thesoftware (program code) and realize functions of the above-describedexemplary embodiments.

Furthermore, software (program code) read from a storage medium can bestored in a memory equipped in a function expansion board inserted in acomputer or a function expansion unit connected to a computer, and a CPUin the function expansion board or the function expansion unit canexecute all or a part of the processing based on the instructions of thesoftware (program code) to realize the functions of the above-describedexemplary embodiments.

While the present invention has been described with reference toexemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of thefollowing claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as toencompass all modifications, equivalent structures, and functions.

This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No.2007-151424 filed Jun. 7, 2007, which is hereby incorporated byreference herein in its entirety.

1. An information processing apparatus, comprising: a processing unitconfigured to, when a warning needs to be displayed, perform a processwithout displaying the warning in a case where a warning target item isset to a non-display mode, wherein the processing unit ignores thenon-display mode, displays the warning and updates the warninginformation in a case where an instruction for a printing cancel isissued to the warning target item, clears the warning information in acase where an instruction for a printing cancel is not issued to thewarning target item, and performs the process without displaying thewarning according to the non-display mode and updates the warninginformation in a case where an instruction for a printing cancel is notissued to the warning target item and there is no previous warning whichis the same as the warning; and a display unit configured to, when thewarning needs to be displayed, display the warning in a case where thewarning target item is set to a display mode, wherein the processingunit, in a case where there is a previous warning which is the same asthe warning, ignores the non-display mode, displays the warning andupdates warning information, and in a case where there is no previouswarning which is the same as the warning, performs the process withoutdisplaying the warning according to the non-display mode and updates thewarning information.
 2. The information processing apparatus accordingto claim 1, wherein the processing unit ignores the non-display mode,displays the warning and updates the warning information in a case wherethere is a previous warning which is the same as the warning and issueda predetermined number of successive times, and performs the processwithout displaying the warning according to the non-display mode andupdates the warning information in cases where there is a previouswarning which is the same as the warning and but not issued apredetermined number of successive times and where there is no previouswarning which is the same as the warning.
 3. An information processingmethod, comprising: performing a process, when a warning needs to bedisplayed, without displaying the warning in a case where a warningtarget item is set to a non-display mode, wherein the process ignoresthe non-display mode, displays the warning and updates the warninginformation in a case where an instruction for a printing cancel isissued to the warning target item, clears the warning information in acase where an instruction for a printing cancel is not issued to thewarning target item, and performs the process without displaying thewarning according to the non-display mode and updates the warninginformation in a case where an instruction for a printing cancel is notissued to the warning target item and there is no previous warning whichis the same as the warning; and displaying, when the warning needs to bedisplayed, the warning in a case where the warning target item is set toa display mode, wherein the process, in a case where there is a previouswarning which is the same as the warning, ignores the non-display mode,displays the warning and updates warning information, and in a casewhere there is no previous warning which is the same as the warning,performs the process without displaying the warning according to thenon-display mode and updates the warning information.
 4. Anon-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing acomputer-executable process, the computer-executable process causing acomputer to perform an information processing method, comprising:performing a process, when a warning needs to be displayed, withoutdisplaying the warning in a case where a warning target item is set to anon-display mode, wherein the process ignores the non-display mode,displays the warning and updates the warning information in a case wherean instruction for a printing cancel is issued to the warning targetitem, clears the warning information in a case where an instruction fora printing cancel is not issued to the warning target item, and performsthe process without displaying the warning according to the non-displaymode and updates the warning information in a case where an instructionfor a printing cancel is not issued to the warning target item and thereis no previous warning which is the same as the warning; and displaying,when the warning needs to be displayed, the warning in a case where thewarning target item is set to a display mode, wherein the process, in acase where there is a previous warning which is the same as the warning,ignores the non-display mode, displays the warning and updates warninginformation, and in a case where there is no previous warning which isthe same as the warning, performs the process without displaying thewarning according to the non-display mode and updates the warninginformation.